Those contract alone would put them at a cap payroll of more than $63 million in 2014-15, with 16 total players under contract and just four defenseman. The cap likely will be back over $70 million at that point, but good luck filling out a roster with $8 million.

— His production doesn't currently match his contract: Seguin's still just 21, so he's far from a finished product, regardless of whether he underwhelmed in 2013, but .66 point-per-game, defensively weak players can't make that much money. If he improves (or returns to form), and he should, that'd be less of a problem, but it'd Boston's current reality.

— The draft is deep: If a team starts its package with a young player and a top-10 pick—and there are a fair number who could do that—Boston's return would be significant. Competitive teams need young, cheap, productive players, and that's what Boston should be looking for. In 2013, Seguin was only one of those.